Meeting Reminder and More!

[Body of Animal Rights Campaigners @ UCF]

Body of Animal Rights Campaigners
	BARC UPDATES!
1. Next BARC Meeting 4-2-07 2. Add Us on Facebook & Myspace 3. Wolfgang Puck Victory! 1. IMPORTANT: Next BARC Meeting What? Official BARC Meeting TODAY! When? Monday, April 2nd 5:00 pm Where? Gazebo between the Washington Center and Phillips Hall This meeting is one of the last ones before the end of this semester and we still have a lot of events to plan and discuss. The following things (and more!) will be brought up at this meeting... Officer Elections -- As another school year comes to a close, several BARC officers will be graduating. Tonight we will begin elections for all positions (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Promotions, etc). If you are interested in having a leadership role in BARC starting next Fall, please show up to this meeting. Shrine Circus -- We will be meeting with the UCF Arena staff soon to discuss BARC's stance on this circus as we work to get it removed from our campus. The Shrine Circus itself will be April 21st-22nd, and we need to finalize our actions against it in the coming weeks. Vegan Breakfasts -- The Honors College would like BARC to do more breakfasts because they are such a success. We need to discuss if this is possible and when we would like to do them. Earth Week -- Later this month, the progressive groups at UCF are getting together to promote environmental sustainability and conservation. Since factory farms are highly polluting and wasteful of natural resources (among other things), BARC needs to take an active role in promoting a veg diet to everyone also concerned about the environment. Let's plan something great! Cookbook -- It would be great to get the much-talked-about BARC cookbook/Orlando veg eating guide printed. We need to discuss the content of it and logistics of getting it distributed. 2. Be our Friends on Facebook and Myspace! BARC has created group pages for both popular websites. Please add us and tell your friends to do the same! :) Facebook: ucf.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2218250401 Myspace: www.myspace.com/barcucf 3. Celebrity Chef Scratches Foie Gras and Crated Veal From Menu After being alerted to the cruelty involved in several of his offerings, Wolfgang Puck removed foie gras and crated veal from the menus of all of his businesses, including his fine dining restaurants; catering and events services; franchises; and store shelf products. The chef is also implementing a series of other animal welfare improvements to be completed by the end of 2007, and expanding his offerings of animal-free meals. Farm Sanctuary is very pleased that a chef of Wolfgang Puck's stature has taken such important steps away from factory farming by refusing to purchase or offer products derived from several egregious practices. His decision reflects a growing wave of concern about the way farm animals are treated. Campaign History Farm Sanctuary first contacted Wolfgang Puck in 2002 as part of its campaign to inspire major dining establishments to help us eliminate the cruelest of factory farming practices. Dedicated animal advocates reached out to this celebrity chef about menu items that were especially inhumane in order to educate him about the extreme cruelties involved in foie gras and veal production. More recently, Farm Sanctuary worked with the Humane Society of the United States to help Wolfgang Puck companies create a plan to address a wide range of farm animal and vegetarian issues. Now that Wolfgang Puck's plan is a public pledge, many animals will be spared a terrible fate, giving Farm Sanctuary and all of its supporters cause to celebrate another precedent-setting victory. What You Can Do Now When a highly respected icon in the food industry takes a humane position like this, it has an impact. You can help continue to make a huge difference by asking other chefs and establishments to follow Wolfgang Puck's example. Click Here for information on asking restaurants to sign Farm Sanctuary's Say No to Foie Gras pledge and to encourage celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Todd English to follow Wolfgang Puck's lead. In the News: Los Angeles Times - March 22, 2007 Puck says it's time to hold the foie gras New York Times - March 22, 2007 Celebrity Chef Announces Strict Animal-Welfare Policy If you have a question about anything, email copres...@barcdontbite.org, and you will get a prompt response.